Our next PD support group meeting will be Saturday Oct 28 from 10 am – noon at Sun Rise Senior Living at 3750 Joseph Siewick Drive. ( behind Fair Oaks Hospital) 3rd floor room left of the elevator.
People with PD, their spouse, family member or care takers are welcome to attend meetings.

We are pleased to welcome Karl and Angela Robb as the speakers at our Oct. support group meeting. Karl has lived with Parkinson’s for over 30 years. He and his wife Angela are devoted advocates on Parkinson’s issues and have much to share with us. Karl is the author of the blog and book, “A Soft Voice in a Noisy World,” which recently made Healthline.com’s short list of books “That Shine A Light on Parkinson’s.” Karl co-authored a second book with Angela, “Dealing and Healing with Parkinson’s and Other Chronic Conditions,” a workbook that explores living well with a chronic health condition. Karl and Angela inspire us to live our best lives with Parkinson’s. Come and join us for an informative and fun program with two of the nicest and most knowledgable people in our PD community ..
They will bring copies of their books and have a book signing after the meeting.

________________________________________________

Here is an invitation for the entire PD support group. Note that the
dinner is sponsored by a pharmaceutical company and is free for the person with PD and their spouse or care partner. Those who plan to attend will need to RSVP directly (see email below) to help plan limited seating.

This program, part of a new Speaker Program for people with PD, is titled “Your Path to Greater Personal Empowerment” will be addressing the changes that occur as PD progresses and the common challenges that patients face. Patients and their partners will be empowered with knowledge and tools to rise up and face these challenges. Please note this is a non-branded program and no pharmacological products are promoted. This is an educational disease state program. The program is ideally suited for those who have been living with PD for over 5 years.

The event will be held at The BRIO TUSCAN GRILLE at 7854 Tysons Corner Center in Mc Lean, VA on Monday, October 23 at 4:00 pm.Joining me as a speaker that evening is Fahd Amjad, MD, a Movement Disorders Specialist from Georgetown University.

As a dinner will be served for the patient and a guest, should they like to bring one, we are asking persons to RSVP by going to:

Upcoming Event Series: ParkinsonTV

Introducing ParkinsonTV, a new educational TV series piloted by the University of Rochester, in collaboration with Dr. Bas Bloem and Radboud University in the Netherlands. The series presents neurologists, patients, and topic experts in a discussion of various aspects of living with Parkinson’s, as well as ways to maximize quality of life.

The first season will consist of six episodes on the topics of exercise, medication, nutrition, advanced therapies, speech therapy, and occupational therapy. The first episode aired Tuesday (9/5), and can be accessed at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Usw2zbHmyjE

Episodes will air each Tuesday at 8PM EST.

If you would like to receive the episode links each week via email, please contact Alistair Glidden at alistair.glidden@chet.rochester.edu and he will add you to the email distribution list.

Hello everyone! Our regular monthly meeting on the fourth Saturday from 10:00 am to noon will be on September 23rd at our usual meeting place, Sunrise Senior Living at Fair Oaks on Joseph Siewick Drive, third floor. Anyone with Parkinson’s and their family and/or care partners are welcome to join us.

The theme for the September 23rd meeting is sharing with each other the “Tips, Tools, and Solutions” that make life easier for PWP and care partners. They may be adaptive products available for purchase, tips from an OT or PT, new ways to use familiar items or “aha” creative discoveries we made to help accomplish something that was bugging us. Every day items in our homes that can serve a dual purpose. For example, pieces of colored tape can be placed on the floor in strips, in narrow spaces or doorways, to assist those with freezing gait issues. Feel free to bring items from your “tool kit” for show and tell! The simplest solution can make for smoother sailing.

“ WALK OFF PARKINSON’S “ is on Sept 24th at Nationals Park, rain or shine. Join the “Fair Oaks Folks” team for a fun outing and support PFNCA’s programs for people living with PD and their care partners. You will find the information below on the PFNCA website. On the day of the event, look for the FAIR OAKS FOLKS sign to meet up with teammates.

TIME:

DISTANCE:

About 1.2 miles

COURSE:

Inside and around Nationals Park culminating with a victory lap around the field and the opportunity to take photos in the dugouts.

FEE:

There is no fee to participate. Walk Off Parkinson’s is a fundraising and awareness program for the Parkinson Foundation of the National Capital Area (PFNCA). Participants are encouraged to support PFNCA by making donations and by raising critically-needed funds to support those impacted by Parkinson’s.

LOCATION:

Nationals Park
1500 South Capitol Street, SE
Washington, D.C.

PARKING:

Free parking will be available in parking in Lot B (entrance located on N Street, SE near the corner of N Street SE and S Capitol Street SE).

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION:

Take the Metro Green Line to the Navy Yard station, Nationals Park is approximately a block south from the station’s Half Street exit.

The classes can be found in the fall issue of Parktakes magazine on page 72 and 74. One is at 2:30 and the other at 3:30.

We will also offer a complimentary yoga for relaxation class for any companion or caretaker at 2:30 p.m. alongside the Parkinson’s class. No registration is required for this yoga class.

Parkinson’s Chair Group Exercise
Gentle chair class using exercises and stretches from PWR! curriculum designed for those with Parkinson’s Disease or other movement disorders.
Eleven week session starts Saturday 9/16 at 2:30 p.m.
Fee: $124 Use Code: 1424261301 to register.

Parkinson’s Circuit Class
Standing circuit exercises to benefit individuals with Parkinson’s or other movement disorders. Focus to help with better posture and balance.

A complementary yoga for relaxation class will be provided for caregivers or companions of individuals registered in the Parkinson’s classes. The class will begin at 2:30 p.m. No registration is required. Please see drop in class schedule for details.

Parkinson Social Network & Out & About with Parkinson’s

As many of you know, I have been involved with the Fair Oaks support group for over 10 years. Last year I introduced the concept of the Parkinson café, and we now have two – in Fairfax and Ashburn. Recently, with the help of other dedicated volunteers and advocates in our Parkinson community, we formed a nonprofit organization to advocate for, and support, people living with Parkinson’s and those who care for them.

As part of our focus is to share information about resources and services in Northern Virginia with you, I have been featuring announcements like the ones below in our weekly e-newsletter, Out & About with Parkinson’s.

George Mason Parkinson’s study

George Mason Department of Rehabilitation Science is looking for participants for Parkinson’s study. See the information below and contact Clint directly if you are interested.

The project will require participants to spend approximately two hours visiting the Functional Performance laboratory at George Mason and completing walking and balance tasks while wearing specialized sensors. This initial project will be to identify specific challenges that participants are dealing with and then move forward to develop interventions or programs that may be directly beneficial for people with Parkinson’s Disease.

I would be more than happy to speak with you about the project and answer any questions you may have. Please do not hesitate to email me or you are more than welcome to call me at 703-993-1903.

Access Services Assistive Technology and Disability Resource Fair

Thursday, September 7, 9:30 am – 3:00 pm

Where? Fairfax County Government Center
12000 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax

The fair kicks off at 9:30 a.m. with Fairfax County Public Library Director Jessica Hudson followed by keynote speaker, Karen Keninger, director of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS). In addition to meeting representatives from county organizations and companies that assist the low vision and differently-abled communities, attendees can take advantage of free glaucoma and vision screenings.
No registration required.

We have a real treat and change of pace for our August 26 Parkinson’s support group meeting. Sreevidya Ajit will speak and give a demonstration of Bharathanatyam, a classical Indian dance form. Then the group will have an opportunity to try out a modified version of the dance moves that will allow participation by those seated as well as standing. Besides being fun and good exercise, studies that show dance can improve balance and coordination in people with Parkinson’s. Bharathanatyam is strongly narrative; it is a dance form that is rich in meaningful gestures and movements.
The Fair Oaks Folks Parkinson’s support group meets on the fourth Saturday of the month from 10:00 to 12:00 noon on the third floor of Sunrise Senior Living at Fair Oaks, Joseph Siewick Drive in Fairfax, VA. People living with PD and their care partners are welcome to attend.

Remember to mark your calendars for Sunday, September 24 for the Walk Off Parkinson’s fund raiser at Nationals Park in DC. More information will follow.

Tangles: A Musical Play about Family and Dementia will be presented this Sat, Aug 12 at 7 PM at the Harris Theatre at GMU. Tickets are $10. For more info go to: http://states.aarp.org/tangles or call 703-993-2838.

This is sponsored by AARP, FX Area Agency on Aging, Insight Memory Care Center, GMU College of Health and Human Services, and Virginia Geriatric Education Center @VCU.